El Cordobés

El Cordobés (ĕl kōrdōvāsˈ) [key], 1936?–, Spanish bullfighter, b. Manuel Benítez Pérez. The predominant matador of the 1960s, he brought an unorthodox acrobatic and theatrical style to the ring, working very close to the bull's horns, and became a national idol. By the time he retired in 1971, he had become the highest-paid bullfighter in history, despite the sneers of many traditionalists.

See biography by L. Collins and D. Lapierre, Or I'll Dress You in Mourning (1968).